The Son of Death (Percy Jackson x Male Reader)

I Meet My Grandmother

We were twenty yards from the porch when something hissed in the grass behind us.

Frank: Go!

Percy stumbled.  While Hazel helped him up, Frank turned and nocked an arrow.  We rushed for the building as Frank shot... a signal flare?  It skidded through the grass, bursting into orange flame and whistling.  At least it illuminated the monster.  Sitting in a patch of withered yellow grass was a lime colored snake as short and thick as my arm.  Its head was ringed with a mane of spiky white fins.  The creature stared at the arrow zipping by as if wondering "What the heck is that?"  Then it fixed its large, yellow eyes on Frank.  It advanced like an inchworm, hunching up in the middle.  Wherever it touched, the grass withered and died.  The snake hissed, flames billowing from its mouth.

Frank: Nice creepy reptile.  Nice poisonous, fire breathing reptile.

Hazel: Frank!  Come on!

The snake sprang at him.  It sailed through the air so fast, he didn't have time to nock an arrow.  Frank swung his bow and smacked the monster down the hill.  It spun out of sight, screeching.  Frank looked at his bow, which crumbled to dust in his hands.  He dropped it and ran for the porch.  Hazel and I pulled him up the steps, and he turned back.  There were now three of them circling in the grass, breathing fire and turning the hillside brown with their poisonous touch.  They didn't seem able or willing to come closer to the store, but that wasn't much comfort.

Frank: We'll never get out of here.

YN: Then we'd better go in.

I pointed to the hand painted sign over the door.  It said RAINBOW ORGANIC FOODS & LIFESTYLES.  I have no idea what that means, but it sounds better than flaming poisonous snakes.  As we stepped through the door, lights came on.  Flute music started up like we'd walked onto a stage.  The wide aisles were lined with bins of nuts and dried fruit, baskets of apples, and clothing racks with tie-dyed shirts and gauzy Tinker Bell type dresses.  The ceiling was covered in wind chimes.  Along the walls, glass cases displayed crystal balls, geodes, macramé dream catchers and a bunch of other strange stuff.  Incense must have been burning somewhere.  It smelled like a bouquet of flowers was on fire.

Frank: Fortune teller's shop?

Hazel: I hope not.

Percy leaned against me.  He looked worse than ever, like he'd been hit with a sudden flu.  His face glistened with sweat.

Percy: Sit down... maybe water...

YN: Yeah, let's find you a place to rest.

The floorboards creaked under their feet.  Frank navigated between two Neptune statue fountains.  A girl popped up from behind the granola bins.

???: Help you?

Frank lurched backwards, knocking over one of the fountains.  A stone Neptune crashed to the floor.  The sea god's head rolled off and water spewed out of his neck, spraying a rack of tie-dyed man satchels.

Frank: Sorry!

Frank bent down to clean up the mess.  He almost gutted the girl with his spear.

???: Eep!

Frank: Hold it!  It's okay!

Frank straightened slowly, trying not to cause any more damage.  Hazel looked mortified.  I was trying desperately not to laugh.  Percy turned a sickly shade of green as he stared at the decapitated statue of his dad.  The girl clapped her hands.  The fountain dissolved into mist.  The water evaporated.  She turned to Frank.

???: Really, it's no problem.  Those Neptune fountains are so grumpy looking they bum me out.

The girl was short and muscular, with lace up boots, cargo shorts, and a bright yellow t-shirt that read R.O.F.L. Rainbow Organic Foods & Lifestyles.  She looked young, but her hair was frizzy white, sticking out on either side of her head like the white of a giant fried egg.  Also the girl's eyes were really distracting.  The irises changed color from grey to black to white.